Lost In an Ocean of Tears and Despair
by Wolf Flash
Summary: It's been about ten years since everything happened, and Yugi feels that he's lost everything: his friends, his happiness, even his will to live. He plunges himself into an ocean of tears and despair- and realizes that someone is there to help.


This story takes place almost ten years after the ending, a bit before Yugi meets Jaden in Yu-Gi-Oh GX (if you even watch that show, which I don't). Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, GX and 5D's would no longer exist.

Anyways, the story has two things going on at the same time, so consider the text with italics another half of the story. I rated it T because it's kind of depressing until the end, and also it might be a bit hard to "digest". So, here goes...

Yugi Moto sighed. Again, he couldn't fall asleep as he stared up at the battered ceiling of his one-room apartment. It was cold that day, one of the coldest days of autumn, and his thin covers didn't block out one bit of the almost freezing temperature. He had been living like this for about half a decade now, wandering around Japan, scraping up some money here and there, and participating in a few Duel Monsters tournaments along the way. He never settled down at one place for longer than a month, so he rented the cheapest apartments for the shortest time possible. But even if he _wanted_ to, he could not stay anyways.

_He looked in front of him. Darkness. Obscurity. He chanced a step. Suddenly, he found himself in a dreary empty hallway._

Half a decade. _That _didn't seem long. But a whole decade seemed longer than possible. Yet it was true. It had been almost a whole decade since it all happened. Joey. Téa. Tristan. Kaiba. Atem. The names seemed so vague and forgotten, like the whispers of the dead. Yet to him it was no surprise. They _were_ dead, or at least in his heart. One day, half a decade earlier, he couldn't take it anymore. Grandpa had asked him to go buy a can of olives. He didn't find the shop. He didn't buy the can of olives. He got lost on the once-familiar roads. He got lost in the labyrinth of his own heart.

_He took another step forward down the hall. And in an instant, he recognized where he was. How long had it been since he had walked here for the last time? But now, it was different. He was alone and cold._

Yugi got up from his lousy excuse for a bed. He pulled on a torn faded blue jacket and pants to match. How long had it been since they had lost their smell of new linen and fresh laundry? He then picked up the Millennium Puzzle from the wood slab of a desk in his room. The pendant was in the shape of a rather large upside-down pyramid. It still had its glimmer, but had long since lost its luster. He did not know why he bothered to keep it with him. It had no more purpose in this world, just a souvenir of the past. Of the beautiful past, of the best year of his life. But it had been almost a decade since it all happened. Why was he thinking of this now? Why was he still dwelling on the past, yet passing each day waiting for tomorrow to come?

_He walked even further, and found himself standing before two opposite doors, one on his left and the other on his right. __Both were embraced by ivy, blanketed by layers of dust, and slowly merging into the walls in attempt to be hidden away and forgotten forever._

He took a step forward. Then another. He opened the door of his apartment. He didn't bother to lock it, for there was nothing at all to keep away from others. He exited the building, and looked into the night. The freezing, bitter wind blew violently at him, yet he did not care. Hadn't his heart already frozen and turned bitter a decade ago already? He trudged on further on the road, looking down. He had already stopped looking for cars a long time ago. What would it matter if a car came by and hit him? He kept on walking, still looking down, not knowing and not caring where he was going. Wasn't it this way that he had walked on the road of his life for the past decade?

_He tried opening either one. The one on the left was tightly shut. He knew that it wasn't locked. Just tightly shut, shut so tightly that even he himself couldn't open it._

He reached a small park, and sat down on one of the benches. He took something out of his pockets. It was his Duel Monsters deck. The one that had saved him from the clutches of the Shadow Realm, the one that had guided him towards countless victories against his many opponents, including his closest friend, the one who _really _had been guiding him the whole time. He looked at his first card. Good, faithful Dark Magician. The one who was his favorite, the one who never let him down before, even though he had already let _himself _down. Yugi continued looking at the cards. They were all worn around the edges, for time had taken its toll on every one of them, as well as his heart. He looked up at the sky. There was a full moon, and no stars glimmered in the darkness. The moon was alone, lonely, far away from the sparkling stars. Wasn't it the same with his soul?

_He tried the other door, but it did not budge either. And he knew that it was because this door was _locked_._

It was well after midnight when Yugi finally reached home, or more like his house. When was the last time he actually had a _home_? He felt weary and tired, but he knew that it was not because of the lack of sleep and the long walk. It was the ache inside of him, for he felt as if his heart had been shattered into a million pieces, and that these pieces were stabbing him, making him bleed to death from the inside. But it was a decade since it first shattered, wasn't it? And he did have one last piece left in his hand, which was the only reason why he did not yet given up on life. But he felt his grip loosen from it day by day. He did not know when he would let go, but he felt that he would soon.

_Suddenly, the door on the left opened behind him. He only had time to turn around and stare at the immense ocean pouring out from it, flooding the hall and washing him away into darkness once more. But he could do nothing. And he knew, deep inside, where that ocean had came from._

Yugi then sat on his chair and put his heavy head on the desk. Sleep seemed like an eternity away. He felt cold and lonely. He got up once again, and looked around until he found a candle and some matches. He lit the first match, but did not light the candle. Instead, he contented himself watching the flame flicker and burn, flicker and burn, struggling to keep on living. Eventually, the ember only succeeded in burning away the match. With the match gone, the flame flared in a desperate attempt to burn once more, and singed his fingers before it went out. He didn't even blink at the pain. Wasn't the small, weak flame just like his hope? He lit another, but this time he lit the candle too. He blew out the match, and smoke gently rose from the darkened stub of wood, merging with the air. If only his heart were as light as the smoke!

_He let himself be carried away. He saw no light. Just darkness. Blank darkness. It was hopeless, he told himself. Nobody would be here now. All traces of the glimmer of flickering light were erased. He sank down, deep down. He was drowning. He knew it. But he didn't bother to struggle, to try to swim, to resurface once more. He no longer cared. He closed his eyes. It was all over._

He closed his eyes, and invisible tears dropped from his face. How long had it been since he had stopped crying, and had accepted life like this? His tears, instead of trickling down his face and disappearing as they evaporated into the air, were instead flooding his mind's room, flooding his heart, and trying to put out all flickers of hope left in him. But nonetheless, he accepted that passively, and allowed them to do their work. His friends were, or at least seemed to be in another dimension, unknowing, uncaring, and unable to help. At least, that's what he thought.

_Suddenly, he felt something warm. He opened his eyes, and saw light emerging from the darkness. He heard a voice. A voice calling out for him. And he then saw a hand extended from the light, trying to reach him. He grabbed the hand, and felt himself resurface. The ocean was gone, and so was the darkness. In it's place, a kind, smiling face was looking at him, and it was illuminating his surroundings. He recognized who it was at once. _

"Yugi! What's wrong?" came a familiar voice filled with sympathy and concern. Yugi looked up to see Atem. Suddenly, Yugi felt himself back as a pure-hearted fifteen-year old teen. Then, tears started to pour out his eyes. Tears that had been held back for a decade, held back for way too long. He sank to his knees, and Atem gently wrapped his strong arms around him. Yugi expected him to say, "Don't cry, be strong, be a man." But he didn't. Instead, he just held him close. Then everything just poured out.

"I… miss you… Tea went to America to study dance… Joey and Tristan changed schools because their academic score was too poor… I haven't spoken to them for so long… I miss them… Grandpa… I wonder if he's okay… Even Kaiba… I haven't heard anything about Kaiba Corp either… I miss them all…" Yugi then felt Atem's grip around him tighten.

"Cry. Cry. Get it all out."

For a long time, there was silence, save for the sound of breathing and tears gently flowing to the floor from two streams of an endless source. Finally, the tears ceased, and Atem spoke again.

"Don't worry. They might not be with you, but their hearts always will be. Just look deep inside carefully. Don't forget that you always have me, even if we're apart and we can't communicate like we used to. I am always watching you from where I am. Now stand up, and face life like you did when you and I were one, for our hearts still are!" At these words, Yugi suddenly felt warm and comfortable in the arms of his partner. He felt the radiating warmth become joy and hope. He looked up into Atem's loving crimson-tinted violet eyes, and felt something he did not feel for too long- the passion of being with a true friend!

_He looked up again. The face was gone. But he knew that he was no longer scared, no longer sad. He stood up, and found himself in the room on the left. He looked at what was there. Pictures. Pictures once lost and forgotten, now found. Also, a beautiful bright flame was burning mightily in the center of the room where the other person once stood._

Yugi opened his eyes. He was still alone in the one-room apartment. It was as if he had cried himself to sleep. He found his hands clenched tightly around his Millennium Puzzle, which seemed to have now regained its luster that it had once lost so long ago. He looked up, and was surprised to see a small box in front of him placed neatly on the desk. He wondered if he had missed it while coming in, or if someone had put it there while he was asleep. He decided to open it, and was astonished at what he saw. In it was the case that had once held the pieces of his Millennium Puzzle, the symbol of what brought him his closest friends, and the symbol of what separated them as well. There was a note on top of it.

_Dear Yugi, wherever you are,_

_I hope that you have received this before you moved again. Somebody had given me you current address, though I don't remember whom. I found the box while cleaning your room, and I hope it is back where it belongs- with you. Inside, I placed some letters from your friends that I just recently received. I hope that you will be glad to know that your friends (and me too of course!) are doing very well. Now good luck on your new adventures!_

_Please come visit someday!_

_Grandpa_

_P.S. I'm still waiting for the can of olives!_

Yugi stared at the message for a moment, and smiled. Grandpa was still the same cheerful old man as he always was. He gently opened the golden box and found four small envelopes. He opened the first one. It was from Joey, one of his best friends.

_Hey Yugi!_

_Long time no see! But that doesn't mean that we're no longer best friends! And guess what? I actually managed to pull through in school, and I even went to university. It was actually a very good school that I had my eyes on for a long time! Now I've got a job, paid my father's debt, and I had just started my very own dream of visiting the whole world. I'm not doing this alone though, because Mai and Serenity are coming with me, and so are everyone's hearts! And next stop, Japan! Let's all get together sometime. I'm counting on it!_

_Best buds forever_

_Joey Wheeler_

The second letter was from Téa, who was always reminding everyone of what friendship was all about, encouraging everyone in even the toughest of situations.

_Dear Yugi,_

_Hi! This is Téa! It's been so long since I heard from you! I am still sad for leaving you so early, but in America, my dream has really come true! Now, I'm an expert dancer, and I might come compete in a competition in Japan. Do you know what that means? We'regoing to see each other soon! I'm going to be looking forward to meet you again so much! Oh, and remember the friendship symbol I drew on everyone's hands so long ago? I believe with all my heart that it is still there. That is why I was able to succeed! Thanks for being there with me always through your heart!_

_See you later!_

_Téa Gardner_

The third letter was from Tristan, who was always there to support everyone and cheer them up.

_Dear Yugi,_

_Hi! This is Tristan. Strange as it may seem to others, I actually made it through to university with Joey! Now everything's a success. I'm even married to the girl of my dreams! Her name is Miho, by the way. How's your life? I'm really looking forward to seeing you again. Maybe we could all meet in Japan or somewhere soon. It would be fun to see how much we have changed since so long! And good luck to you!_

_Always with you!_

_Tristan Taylor_

Yugi smiled again. His friends really were there with him all the time! He then looked at the last letter. Who could it be from? He opened it carefully, and a ticket fell out.

_Dear Yugi Moto,_

_This is Kaiba. I sent you this letter containing the ticket to the next KC Duel Monsters Grand Championships tournament. It'll be the biggest one yet. You are coming and I won't accept NO as an answer. Mokuba will pick you up when you tell me where you are. And you should, because I'm about to send an invitation to Wheeler and Mai. And this time, I will be the champion!_

_BE THERE!!_

_Seto Kaiba_

So Kaiba hadn't really changed at all! Well… is that a good thing? Yugi laughed to himself. It was so good to be back like the good old days! He sighed in content as he realized that friends never leave, no matter what. The contact numbers for his friends were written on the envelopes, and he vowed to find the perfect time for all of them to get together. He was about to put the envelopes back when he saw one more message in the box. How did he miss it? It wasn't sealed, the paper was dusty, and the handwriting was of a rather foreign style, almost illegible. _Almost._

_Dearest Yugi,_

_Times were tough, and will always be tough. However, you had friends beside you, and you always will. Yes. I passed through the door. But no. I am not dead. I am still alive, and so is my burning spirit. I live on in your heart. Never shall you be alone._

_Love you forever, with all my heart and soul._

Yugi could not make out the signature, but little did that matter. He knew at once who wrote it. At that moment, his heart was whole once more, and his eyes filled with tears again. And this time, they weren't tears of sadness, sorrow, or despair. They were tears of joy and hope.

_He stood there for a long time, looking at the pictures. He smiled, and for the first time in too long, it was with all his heart. He then walked back to the hallway and stood before the other door. It opened by itself as if on cue, creaking softly. He looked at what was there. It was the same endless maze as before, but something felt different. It seemed less vast, less intimidating. He opened the first door. It was not a trap like the one he found last time when he opened a door in this place. There was something inside. A memory. A boy wearing his new blue school uniform, smiling in excitement as he put the last piece of a golden puzzle in its place after eight years of trying to complete it._

Yugi got into bed, closed his eyes, and held the Puzzle close to his heart. To his surprise, despite his thin cover, the open window, and the icy wind, he felt warm. Despite the wails of the dogs outside, the gloom and emptiness of the starless night, and the howling of the gale trying to pass through his window, he neither felt sad, scared, nor lonely. The candle that was still on his desk burned brighter than ever, banishing away all darkness from his now peaceful figure. He slept soundly without any unhappy thoughts, and a smile was etched on his relaxed face, for he knew that somewhere, a pair of soulful burning amethyst eyes would be gazing at him affectionately forever no matter what.

_He walked around, going up stairs, opening doors, and savoring memories. What once was an endless labyrinth became a mansion. He went up more and more stairs, one after the other, when he reached the top and came across a different door. He felt something in there, the presence of something greater than the things behind the other doors. He opened it, and looked into a pair of deep, fiery orbs of amethyst that were more precious to him than every other jewel in the whole entire world._

**Fin**

Thanks for reading! I hope that you enjoyed it, and that you will also be able to find your friends right there with you in your moments of darkness. For the letters, sorry that they don't look like letters (because the computer completely removes all my indentations), but other than that, I think there aren't any more problems. Please tell me if I did anything wrong, and give me some helpful and encouraging feedback! Thanks again!


End file.
